As the End Draws Near
by shipperfey
Summary: Rescue mission is coming – what will our couple do? JackKate.


**Title: As The End Draws Near  
Author:** Alice J. Foster

Disclaimer: Not mine. Wish they released Lost action figures though so I could at least own Jack and Kate; until then, I shall borrow them for the purposes of this fanfic.

Pairing: Jack/Kate  
Rating: PG-13

Summary: Rescue mission is coming – what will our couple do?

Note: Sort of a companion story to my other Jate fic, The Morning Ritual, though both can be read individually and still make sense.

Song title inspired by Sarah McLachlan

* * *

The first time she asked him, they hadn't been together. The two of them were sitting by the fire, he'd come to the beach to check on someone or something and they had ended up sitting side by side, everyone around them asleep during the few nights of calm and peace that they were given since the crash.

"What would I do if we get rescued?" he shrugged. "Go home. Bury my father. Tie loose ends."

Kate did not say anything, just stared into the fire. He had not dared to ask her the same question in return – they both knew what would happen to her if they were rescued.

The second time, she woke him up in the middle of the night; her small frame desperately shaking his at they shared their bed.

"Kate… Kate, what's wrong?" He'd asked her but she shook her head.

"Please Jack, just answer my question. I—I need to know."

This time he thought for a long time, "I don't know, Kate. I just don't know."

She seemed to be satisfied with that answer, Jack assessed but that when the tears started to flow and he almost panicked. "Jack, I n--need to tell you something," she paused for a long breath, tears were caught in her throat and she seemed so freaked out that Jack was afraid she would pass out.

"You can tell me anything, Kate." He reached over and pulled her onto his lap, trying to comfort her but that only seemed to upset her more.

"It's just tha—oh god, I don't know how to say this." The sobbing stopped for a second as she seemed to gather the courage he knew she had. "I'm pregnant."

He was speechless. What could he say? What should he say? What shouldn't he say? "Are you sure?" was the only thing he could think of at the moment.

Kate nodded "It's not like I had a pregnancy test or anything," she said, reminding him that the only person on the island who could have a pregnancy test was the last person she wanted to go to at this moment. "I'm two weeks late. I know that's not too worrisome but I just know it, Jack. I can feel it."

Jack hugged her closer and put his hand on her stomach. "If you're two weeks late, that means you're about six weeks along," he said in full-doctor mode but Kate heard the uncertainty lying there. "Did you know that at six weeks, the baby already displays reflexes to a touch? We can't feel it, of course, but it's there." This time his hand pushes slightly against her stomach and her stomach is suddenly fluttery as she realizes once again how much she loves this man.

"I'm scared, Jack." She says from where her face rests against the crook of his neck, his strong arms enveloping her.

"Shhhh, don't be, Kate."

"You have to make me a promise, Jack… You have to promise me that if something happens, if we get rescued, or if something happens to me on this island, that you'll take care of the baby… promise me you'll tell the baby about me. Don't let him or her grow up without knowing about their real mom."

He shushed her. "Don't say that, Kate. Nothing's gonna happen."

"Don't say that, Jack. You don't know that. Promise me," she pulled back so she could look into his eyes and even though it was pitch black in their tent, she knew he could see her. "Please, just make me this promise."

Jack nodded before he claimed her lips with his.

Both of them had seen firsthand what this island truly was; they knew everything could be taken away in seconds. Furthermore, they knew what Kate's fate was once they were rescued. But tonight shouldn't be about fear.

Tonight was about their child.

The third time she asked was the last.

Five years had passed since their crash. There were only 23 of the original survivors left, 27 if you counted the children that had been born on the island. Sayid and Eko had been able to modify the distress call recorded by Danielle and had been able to make contact with another ship. Two days later they'd heard a rescue mission was en route.

The campsite, which now resembled a small tourist town with huts and small buildings, was in pure chaos. People scrambled to collect their "belongings," everything that was of sentimental value to them and tears were in everyone's eyes as they realized what was happening.

Jack had looked around and did not find Kate anywhere. He scanned the crowd looking for his family and his eyes finally settled on the youngest girl on camp, her light brown hair framing her face in gorgeous curls, green eyes wide open paying attention to the chaos around her. Jack called for Sam and the 3 year old ran to her father. Tom was nowhere to be found so he knew Kate must have him with her. "Let's go find Mommy, shall we?"

Sam nodded. "Sun says we goin' home." Her pout told Jack she was confused – to her the island was home. She couldn't understand what was going on, why everyone was suddenly so happy.

"She means where we came from, baby. Remember I told you about Los Angeles? That's where Daddy came from."

"Mommy too?"

Jack shook his head. "No, not Mommy." Sam still looked confused and Jack picked her up as he headed inland, knowing exactly where to find Kate.

It was her cave and he had seldom been there but as the years had passed, she would take their son or daughter with her, and Sam always came back to tell Daddy the stories Mommy told her.

He was over three miles from the beach when he heard the familiar giggle of their youngest son. "Kate!" Jack shouted, not wanting to startle her. Sam wiggled in his arms and he put her down, watching her run to the entrance to the cave.

It was no surprise that her eyes were filled with tears when he met up with them. She clutched at the kids in such a way that he wondered if she was saying goodbye.

"I've been looking for you," he said and she finally looked up to meet his eyes.

"Had to get away… too much was going on." There was an apology in her expression but he was not sure what for – leaving him at the beach, running away in the middle of the day or the fact that this could be their last day together as a family.

He did not ask, he just moved to where she was sitting on the ground hugging their kids and sat behind her, holding her as Tom's big brown eyes greeted him from where his head rested on Kate's shoulder.

He remembered the promise he'd made to her the day he found out she was expecting Sam. In just a few hours, help they waited for five years would finally arrive. He would be able to go home, go back to being a real doctor in a real hospital… bury his father, see his mother if she was still alive.

"We can afford the best lawyers, Kate. We have a good chance; there are 21 people out there that can testify you saved them time and time again, sometimes risking your own life. This could work," he tried to sound encouraging but his own tears started to roll down his face.

"I can't, Jack. I can't go back. I can't go to jail…" her voice broke as she sobbed and Sam kissed her.

"Don't cry, Mommy, don't cry," the bright green eyes were filled with confusion and Kate felt even more guilt.

"You can't stay by yourself, Kate. We still don't know what's out there…" Jack said, trying to reason with her but he knew there was no future for her.

"What are you going to do, Jack, now that we're rescued?"

He tried to imagine all scenarios… if she was able to run away before the marshals arrested her, she'd be on the run again… they'd be able to see each other but he knew he couldn't put his kids through that. If she went to jail, he could visit her… he would be able to bring the kids – it wasn't the place to take them but at least they would be able to see her.

"Do we have to leave, Daddy?" Sam asked, snapping him out of his reverie. "Don't wanna leave," she looked like she was picking up on their emotions because her eyes were tearing up and Jack reached up to stroke his daughter's hair.

Kate turned around so she could look at him. He could see where she had been biting her lower lip because it was swollen and red. "Promise me you'll take care of them…"

"No—just, no. We're not leaving this island without you, Kate." Jack said firmly and Kate's eyes dropped.

"You know I can't—" She tried to finish her sentence without breaking down again. "I can't go back, Jack."

"Then we all stay."

Her eyes were back on his instantly. "You can't.," she said simply. "You know you can't. You have things to do, lives to save."

"Us, our family, all of it comes first. I will not sacrifice our family for anything, Kate. I won't become my father." Jack stood up and picked up Tom. "Come on, we should say goodbye to the others."

Together the family walked back to the beach to see their companions for the last time.

The rescue mission came and went, months passed and life fell into a normal pattern again, as normal as being stranded on an island can be.

From the mouth of the survivors, the whole world learned the story of Kate Austen and Jack Shephard, two heroes that had mysteriously disappeared in Mystery Island hours before the rescue mission arrived. They were never found again.


End file.
